(You Are My ) Sunshine
by SassyLittleBrunette
Summary: [ rewritten, au timeline, embry x oc imprinting ] Sophie Swan thought the world around her was normal and boring. But then she sees that wolf... And sooner or later, she comes to realize that nothing is really as it appears to be. But how will she handle it all and what will happen along the way? [ fluff overload, vamp bashing, etc ]
1. Imprinting Has Side Effects

"Isabella Marie Swan, we're going to talk right now." Charlie called out as soon as he heard the front door lightly bang shut. He worked on keeping calm, because all he wanted was to get to the bottom of what made his oldest daughter not come home the night before.

Sure, it was her birthday. And she was of age now. But there were still rules in his house and Bella was going to start abiding by them. He stood and walked towards the doorway leaning in it as his youngest, Sophie, sat down her leopard print book bag and a pair of pom poms on their bench in the hallway. She was taking off her shoes when Charlie broke the silence.

"Did your sister go to school today? I thought she might have left early this morning when she didn't come down for breakfast. Went upstairs and it doesn't even look like her bed was slept in last night. I know she's with Edward, her truck was still parked outside the Cullen's house when I went past it earlier just to check.. None of the other cars are there though and the house is… empty. Like they left town."

Sophie gave a surprised look and shook her head. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Bella lurking around campus at all today. And normally, Bella was right there, waiting to "mother her" or overprotect her from whatever thing Bella felt might be 'bad' or 'dangerous' for her. Or she used to be that way.

Lately, she was so wrapped up in that boyfriend of hers Edward that she barely knew anything beyond being permanently attached at the hip to the guy. Sophie didn't see the attraction to him personally, but to each their own. Suffice to say, it wasn't like her sister to just go missing and the second Sophie thought about not seeing her around Forks High, or at breakfast, it seemed strange.

But both Sophie and Charlie thought that either she'd woke up earlier and left already or she was sleeping late and she'd get up and go as soon as she realized it.

"Oh.. Oh wow. That's not good, daddy. Are you sure the house was empty and the cars were gone though?" Sophie coughed as a number of thoughts on what her sister might be doing right now filled her head, anything from the 'innocent but still wrong' with her having spent the night over at Edward's and the two having gone on a more grown up version of a date that lasted all night long, to a repeat of when she and Edward ran to Phoenix last year at the end of the year, this one came when her father told him what he'd found upon going to the Cullen's house… And she didn't like the thought one little bit. It had her worried and afraid for her older sister because people don't just pack up all their shit and vanish overnight for no reason.. Especially not creepy people like those. They made episodes of procedural crime shows about that kind of thing.. And episodes of shows like "Unsolved Mysteries", she thought to herself as she silently panicked but tried to do her best to keep calm. She could tell this was freaking out her father and god knew, he already had more than enough shit to deal with.

"I can call Angela and Jessica and see if they saw her at school today.. I mean I doubt they did, she hasn't talked to anyone but me in a long time, but.. I can try." She offered to make calls because maybe, they were both wrong and what they were both dreading wasn't happening all over again. Last time Bella had come home with a leg cast. This time, Sophie feared her sister might not be so lucky. Especially not with the attacks / deaths going on around the forest and outside town lately. Attacks / deaths that were getting closer into town with each day that passed. That thought didn't ease Sophie's mind at all.

"Please?" her father sounded worried, maybe a little desperate. Sophie was pretty sure that like her, he was thinking they were about to have a repeat of the whole Phoenix thing all over again. Only this time, Bella might not come back at all.. The Cullens things were all gone when her father checked. And Bella had left behind her truck, her only mode of transportation, her only way to get away.

Sophie stepped out onto the deck around back of the house and leaned against the wall, dialing Jessica's number. While she waited for Jessica to pick up the phone, she found her eyes sort of.. Drawn to the treeline just over the fence. The sensation of being watched intently filled her and she wound up looking over and for a few seconds, her heart felt like it was beating so hard it would explode. If she hadn't looked over, she'd never have seen the wolf lurking there, watching her with this curious expression in it's almost hyper realistic eyes as it gazed at her. She blinked and shook her head because the wolf was gone and all she saw was a blur as it retreated quickly through the woods. "That was weird." she muttered as Jessica picked up and she explained what her father told her and got told by Jessica that no, Bella hadn't been in any of her classes today.

"But wasn't she with Edward Cullen last night?"

"Yeah. That's what my father's afraid of, her history of running off with the jerk. Thank you, Jess. Call me if you see her or talk to her?"

"Sweetie, I haven't talked to your sister in weeks. She doesn't.. talk to anybody but the Cullens. A lot of us have tried but she doesn't act like she wants anything to do with any of us. She's attached at the hip to the guy, it's creepy."

"Don't I know it. Thank you, Jess. I'll be sure to go tell Daddy what you told me. He is not thrilled with her right now. I swear to God, she's supposed to be the older and more responsible one. This shit isn't like her."

"Oh, I was supposed to ask you.. Are you going to that dance next week with anybody? Mike wanted to know."

"I hadn't really thought about it? I mean this guy Peter's been dropping hints but like.. I'm so not interested in the guy.. I might just go by myself? It seems like it'd be more fun that way?" Sophie bit her lip, scowling at the phone in her hand as she paced the deck. The one thing about calling her sister's friend Jessica, and the sole reason she tried not to do it often.. Jessica seemed to like initiating gossip sessions or it honestly felt like when she did have to call, Jessica tried to dig around, get Sophie to divulge secrets or pestered her with endless questions about Florida and what it was like being Bella's younger sister.. Or who she was dating, what was going on with a certain group of kids in her own grade year.

Sophie got annoyed by the whole 'gossip girl' thing and found it off putting because she felt like Jess would have no problem using anything she might tell her against the people it might be about.

"Why though? Everyone's going to have a date."

"Not everyone, Jess. I'm going solo." Sophie gave a slightly annoyed eye roll and after a few seconds, she hung up with Jessica and immediately called Angela.. Who gave her pretty much the same answer, verbatim and then she asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Bella's on her crap again, apparently."

"Ah, I see."

"Yeah.. I swear, that jerk Cullen better be worth all this hell. I've barely met the guy since I moved back here to live with Daddy and Bells and so far, I'm not impressed. I wish I knew what it was about the douchebag that made girls lose their freaking minds! Half the girls in my grade, Angela.. Hate my sister because she happens to be dating the prick."

"And the other half probably think she's losing her mind like me and the rest of her friends in our grade do lately. I swear, it's like she's obsessed.. You never see one without the other."

"It's creepy is what it is, Angela. I'll call you back if we find out anything. If she happens to call you or show up over there, will you let me know please?"

"Definitely. Just.. Let me know."

"I will do, girl. I'll talk to you later." Sophie ended the call and laughed aloud as she exclaimed, "Whoo boy.. Bella is going to be in serious shit for this one.. If she isn't, I swear to God, my father needs his head examined." and stood, brushing off the denim mini skirt she'd been wearing, starting towards the patio doors. She'd just put her hands on the handles when she caught sight of it, again.

She froze, her eyes fixed on the wolf behind her in the reflection of the door, as she bit her lip. For some reason, she didn't feel afraid or threatened. She found herself worried, wondering if the wolf might be sick because normally, they did not come this close to a human populated area.

Or none had the entire summer that she'd been living in Forks with her father and sister.

And again, the wolf turned and took off, fleeing in the direction of the woods. "Okay, that was strange. I hope the poor thing isn't sick or something.. I wonder if I should tell Daddy?" and as soon as she thought about doing so, she decided against it.

Because there was just something about the wolf.. She got this feeling that her father might not believe what she said, what she'd just seen. Because she'd seen the enormous wolf with hyper realistic and deep chocolate eyes and she was having a hard time believing it for herself.

She'd never seen a wolf so big… Or with it's coloring, sleek and gray with a light dotting of black spots… and the light gray snout.

Shaking the whole thing out of her mind, she stepped back inside and told her father everything that Angela and Jessica both told her, adding at the end, "I didn't know it had gotten this bad, Daddy.."

"It's not your fault, princess. You're not your sister's keeper. And I'm not surprised. I knew it, the second I lifted the whole punishment, I knew she'd start doing this all over again. Are you alright, Sophie? You looked a little freaked out when you came inside.."

"It was nothing, I just.. I think my eyes were playing a trick on me?" Sophie dragged her fingers through her hair and then after a few seconds of silence she asked her father, "You don't think she's missing like those other kids are, right?"

"I don't know. But there was another attack in the woods last night, out behind the arcade, just in the trees there.. We'll give her until 8. If she's not walking back through those doors at 8 pm, we'll try to put together a search party."

"So I guess we wait." Sophie sighed and hugged her father as she shook her head. "Isn't she supposed to be the older one? I mean.. granted, nothing about all this is normal, but you'd think that given the way she's been her entire life until last year, she wouldn't do stuff like this."

"That's what worries me, princess. How'd your day go?" Charlie was heating up canned soup for the two of them as he asked the question and he smiled a little, listening to Sophie going on about her day, telling him that so far, she liked Forks High.. Granted, it was only a week into her attending, but Charlie was happy.

If she liked the school and she made friends, maybe she'd stick around. He'd missed having both the girls under one roof.

"Aside from Math being a pain in my butt, it was pretty good. Cheerleading practice ran late and when I got back here, I was going to chew Bella out because thanks to her being a no show, I had to walk three whole blocks in that rainstorm we got earlier out of the blue. How was your day, Daddy?"

"Well, there was another attack or something. Just for safety's sake, Sophie, stay out of the woods. I know that's where you kids go to party and whatnot, but don't go out there at night. This will make two or three attacks close to town within three nights. It's almost like whatever this thing is, it's moving closer to this side of town? It's strange.."

"I know. The other kids at school are saying that it's a serial killer? Which is creepy, because yeah.. this is a small town and people feel so safe that they leave the doors unlocked and stuff.. I mean Florida, that stuff happened often, just.. You wouldn't think something like that would trickle here." Sophie took a bite of her soup and she wondered to herself if that wolf she'd seen hadn't had something to do with all the attacks. She almost told her father that she'd seen it, but this.. Flash.. In her mind. And the heavy nagging sensation that if the wolf were there to do anything, it was to protect and not harm.. Those things combined and kept her silent.

"Yeah. But it's not a serial killer. Most likely an animal. One of the guys down at the station is talking about going in with a hunting party this weekend if another attack happens."

Sophie wasn't sure why she blurted it out, but she shook her head and blurted out, "Maybe you guys can bring it in without killing it?"

Somehow, she got this feeling that her father's words went in one ear and out the other. That he was worried, that he was doing what he thought best to protect her and her sister. And this, for whatever reason, had her worried for the gray / black spotted wolf she'd caught a glimpse of twice earlier.

Her eyes settled on the clock on the microwave.

It was almost 9 by now, they'd lost track of time, talking and waiting on the phone to ring and the realization had Sophie's stomach churning.. Was she going to find out her sister was the newest victim of whatever was going around attacking and killing people? God, she hoped not. She eyed the door, waiting, tapping her bare feet against the kitchen's tiled floor. She'd been doing it for the better part of two hours now, so had Charlie. And whenever headlights went by the house, they'd both jumped up quite a few times, running to the window to peer out into the street.

"Bella's still not home, Daddy.. And she hasn't called. I'm not getting a good feeling."

"Neither am I, princess.. I'm gonna go call some of the guys at the station and Billy.. Because I want to make sure she's not in the woods or something first. I swear to God, I want to grab her and shake her. She's beyond grounded when she gets back to this house. She's doubly grounded."

"I don't think you can doubly ground someone, Daddy.. But you're right. She deserves it for scaring both of us."

"You're damn right she does. I don't know what's gotten into her lately, but she's about to make some serious changes.." and with the words out of his mouth, Charlie stepped out to call some of the guys he worked with and then, he called Billy. His hope was that maybe, Bella had been by and spoken to Jacob or something.

Anything but the million things he was fearing happened that were all racing through his mind right now.

"We can all get together and search the forest, Charlie."

"We might have to, Billy. We're leaving now."

"Jake and I will meet you there.. I'll speak to some of the others, maybe that Uley kid and his friends will help out."

"All the help you can get."

* * *

The scent caught his full attention as it filtered in on the evening breeze, all heavy and sweet, making his mouth water. Vanilla. All Embry could do was stop mid – patrol and sit on his haunches and whine. This, of course, did not bode well for Paul or Jared and Sam most certainly was not amused.. But he told Embry calmly, "Follow whatever scent you're smelling so we can get back to what we're out here to do.. You have ten minutes, Call."

Embry took off at a run, tearing through bushes and bramble and the closer he got to the Forks side of the treaty line, the heavier the scent grew.. The more it bewitched him utterly, almost to the point where he was operating on a one tracked mind and the only thing on it was finding the source of that scent.

And then, he did… And nothing could have prepared him for what happened immediately after, the first time he set sights on her.. On the single most important person in the world to him now. Nothing and no one else mattered but her.

He scented her quickly and picked up on heavy feelings of panic and fear.. Worry.. Focusing, he was able to figure out that her older sister was missing.. And then, it hit him. Jacob had shown him this house once while they were out dirt biking.. And he'd said that Bella lived here. And Embry knew that Bella mentioned a younger sister in Florida a few times when he'd been hanging out with Jacob down at First Beach last year. He knew that she'd missed her little sister, that she wished Sophie would have come back with her.

…. _fuck…. If it's Bella, there goes that… between Cullen and Jacob_ …. Embry thought it to himself as suddenly, the scent reached a fever pitch and his veins felt like liquid fire raced through, this slow burning white hot heat settled into his skin and he felt as if his skin were stretched tight, crawling a little.. Embry was jittery, his stomach twisting and turning and then, it happened..Everything around him fell away as she stepped out onto the deck of Bella's house, cell phone in her hand, worried look on her face. Embry was worried himself because the wind was chilly and his imprint stood there in a thin tee shirt and this thin and worn denim skirt, feet bare, dark blonde hair blowing in the wind. She became clearer and he sank down to sit on his haunch as the images of her, of him, of the two of them together bombarded his conscious and everything that bothered him lately, his rift with Jacob, his dealing with keeping the pack a secret from a mother who didn't understand, his worrying that he'd be a freak forever.. And the way he kept a lot of this in, preferring not to bother anyone with it. It was his problem.. Or it had been until her.

Now that was gone. All he could see was her, this dark blonde girl he currently stood staring in awe at... All he could think about was what lie ahead, what he'd seen. It felt as if someone had taken a knife and sliced through every single thing tying him, weighing him down and now as a result, he felt absolutely weightless.

"Oh, wow.. Hi." he'd phased back to human to just sort of absorb the shock of the moment and he was sitting under a large old tree, thinking and soaking it in, waiting on Sam and Paul to show up with his clothing. All he could do was keep himself out of sight and just sort of watch her.

When he picked up on the scent of death and decay not so far away, he stiffened and tensed, alert, eyes darting around all over. He'd smelled the scent before, just a few nights ago on his first official patrol of the forest with the pack. He thought they'd taken care of the leech problem then.. So why was the scent back?

Clearing throats above him had him explaining what was going on and after phasing back to his wolf form, he and Sam and Paul took off in the direction of the scent, with Embry explaining what just happened and asking questions about it as they raced through the woods to try and pin down the scent and what it belonged to.

They reached a clearing and found nothing. No sign of any of the leeches. Embry swore up a storm as he paced the forest and explained to Sam, "It wasn't far from Bella's house."

"Bella is dating one of them, remember?"

"She's not there.. at least that's what I gathered from Sophie's talking to some of Bella's friends on her phone outside." Embry was tense and honestly, given the fact that the scent kept getting closer and closer to the house itself according to Embry, Sam couldn't say he blamed him.. If something had happened to Emily like that.. And bearing that thought in mind, he made a snap decision. "You'll patrol that area, Call. And Lahote, to be safe, you'll patrol the woods near your own imprint's house. Let's get back to the cabin, I think Emily's probably worried sick about us by now, we're usually not gone this long." he gave Embry a pointed smirk and glare combination as he spoke and Embry only shrugged, still shocked at having imprinted to really do more than that.

The three shifter pack made their way back to the Uley cabin where they started to discuss at length what was going on in Forks and La Push, the attacks and the deaths, the disappearances.. The knock at the door drew them all out of their discussion and Sam made his way over, peering through the window at the top of the door. Sam opened the door to his cabin to reveal Billy Black standing on the other side. "Black.. come to talk about Jacob? Has he phased? Is he showing signs?"

"No, I'm afraid a girl over in Forks may be missing. She was last seen with those Cullens.. Sounded like something you'd be interested in.. I've just spoken to her father."

"And you want us to go out, search the woods."

"Jacob said he'd be helping you. Still doesn't mean he's ready to be a part of the pack yet, I'm afraid." Billy shook his head, sighing.

Embry listened intently. His mind kicked into overdrive and when Sam agreed to help Bella's father form a search party and volunteered them up, he realized that possibly, he'd be able to see her face to face and the thought thrilled him.. It also upset him because he remembered how he'd picked up on her worry and upset over Bella's being missing and the fear he knew she had to be feeling. He found himself wishing he could do something.

Jacob spoke up from behind his father.

"If it weren't for the fact that it's her, I would not be helping any of you. I still mean it. I intend to fight this. I don't want it to happen. I don't care what any of you think, I will not.. Give in to that side."

"You won't have much of a choice, Black." Paul smirked, a smug look in his eyes as they settled on the other male. Jacob rolled his eyes and said calmly, "Let's just do this. Alright? Let's get it done and go our own way. The sooner you all realize I don't have to give in, I don't have to be a monster, the better you'll all be."

His eyes lingered on Embry and Embry tensed. There had been a lot of strain between them lately. Embry shrugged off Jacob's parting jab and when Sam shut the door, Paul exclaimed with a laugh, "And when he does shift and become one of us, I'm gonna laugh my ass off, I swear to God. Guy's a prick."

* * *

Sophie stood close to her father, eyes darting around as she listened to the adults talking. She was still just sort of shocked that it was all happening and sort of hoping against hope that her sister would show up and everything would be fine.

There were storm clouds rolling in, starting to block out the bleak moonlight and Sophie shivered as the chill in the air picked up a little. Her father noticed and nodded to the car. "There's a jacket in there if you're cold. Why didn't you grab one before we left?"

"I was kind of in a hurry like you were."

"Everything is gonna be fine. We'll find her." Billy Black was there, flashing a reassuring grin at her, but Sophie wasn't sure if what he said could be true. Bella had gotten lucky in Phoenix, coming back with only a broken leg. And Edward had put her in that situation.

If she was gone with him.. And he was somehow behind the disappearances and deaths and attacks lately.. Sophie shook her head as if to shake away and stop the thought and Jacob spotted her then and made his way over.

"Sophie?"

Sophie's head snapped up and she gaped a few seconds before being lifted into a bear hug. Jacob was trying to reassure her and she said quietly, "We all know where she's gone and I swear to God, I am going to punch her face when she finally turns up again. She won't be out here.."

"Maybe she is."

"She's with that.. Creep. Wherever he is. Unless he hacked her to itty bitty bits. I mean you have to be thinking the same, Jake." Sophie craned her head to the side to look up at him and he shook his head, even though if the rumors were true and Cullen was what his father seemed to think, Sophie could very well be right.

Before he could do anything else to further try and reassure her, Paul was there, clearing his throat, Embry and Sam with him and Jacob glared at the other three. "I'm trying to make sure Sophie is alright."

Sophie's eyes settled on him.. The tall male standing opposite Jake. She stared a few seconds and he was staring right back. His friend introduced him because apparently, he wasn't going to talk.

"This asshole, I swear.. His name is Embry. Mine is Paul and that's Sam.. We're gonna try and help Black here look for your sister." Paul explained and then, Embry found his voice finally. He gave Jacob a pointed glare and stepped closer to Sophie in a way that instantly had Jacob raising his brows because it was so protective and somehow slightly possessive.

Before Jacob could say anything to warn Sophie about him and the others, Embry was attempting to talk to her and she just stood there.. Watching him in this sort of daze. Jacob pushed the thought out of his head because it couldn't be true.

The legends about imprinting, about his becoming a shifter eventually. He refused to believe it all and yet, there was just something about the way Sophie seemed drawn to stare at Embry and listen, nodding as she tried to keep from starting to cry, huddled into a hoodie that fit Embry perfectly, but Sophie seemed to swim in. There was something between the two of them and Jacob, even though he considered himself to be an old friend, one who happened to have a bit of a crush on her actually,couldn't help but notice that whatever was going on at the moment was so intense that it felt like it sucked all the air out of the space between Embry and the petite dark blonde currently on the verge of tears and freaking out over her sister being missing.

Jacob didn't like it. So Jacob cleared his throat.

"We should probably get in there." he gave Embry a pointed glare and Embry glared right back defiantly, stating in a calm tone, "I'll talk to you later. I wish we hadn't met this way Sophie, but it was.. Nice to meet you." before stalking off with Paul and Sam. Jacob caught up to the three and asked Embry through gritted teeth, "What the fuck was that about, huh? You know I like her. You know I've liked her since.."

"She's his imprint ya dipshit." Paul butted in and Jacob just.. Stared at Embry with slackened jaws, not sure how to take the news and still trying to make himself believe that the same fate his friend faced didn't lie ahead for him.

It wouldn't happen. He wouldn't allow it.

Embry was just about to disappear into the forest when he felt the softest of taps to his left shoulder and her scent filled his nose. Jacob tensed all over and growled a few swear words to himself and Embry turned, staring down at her. She held out his jacket and told him quietly, "You're probably going to need it more than me.. But thank you. My name is Sophie, by the way and it was nice to meet you too. Thank you guys for doing this."

"It's not a problem." … wait, did I really just say that? Without freaking out or stuttering or going all quiet? … Embry wondered to himself as he took the jacket and then eyed her in concern, asked her, "Are you sure you don't need it?"

"I'm gonna sit in my dad's patrol car for a few seconds, I just.. Kinda want to be alone. To think."

"She's going to be okay. I promise."

"We will find her, Soph." Jacob cut in, glaring at Embry as Embry gave yet another glare right back and maybe inched just the slightest bit closer to Sophie who seemed to mirror the subtle movement, Jacob noticed.

"I hope so. I could kill her for this. My dad's worried sick. So am I. But I'm also afraid that she's gone.. That she did something totally stupid and left with that… Asshole."

"Don't like Cullen, huh?" Paul mused as he gave a slight grin that had Embry glaring at him at this point and edging just a bit more close to Sophie so that there was nearly a divide. He felt like an ass, but these urges to protect her, to make it known that she was his imprint and therefore, not to be messed with by anyone, those were all overriding his usual mannerisms and the way he'd normally act.

He wanted to kick himself at the moment for it too, because he had to be freaking her out, invading her space. She seemed a little shyer.. Or maybe it was the shock and the fact that she barely knows any of us, Embry thought to himself as he cleared his throat and nodded towards where Sam stood, talking to Billy and Charlie and Harry about which areas to look in first.

"We really should get going guys. Getting darker." Embry finally managed to make himself step away and as he did, he saw those lips of hers sort of.. turn downwards into a pout. She turned and jogged back towards her father, talking to him and once Embry realized that she was out of earshot, he looked at Paul with a raised brow. "Seriously, jerk?"

"Look at you, all protective and shit, Call. C'mon. We'll make a man of you yet. Let's go get this shit over with. It's cold and I'm fuckin tired." Paul quipped as the trio made their way towards Sam, finally heading into the woods.

* * *

Authors Note: Yeah, I know. A rewrite. Of a rewrite. Of a rewrite. But I'm fucking determined to make this story happen, okay? Anyway, Sophie's undergone changes.. And she's no longer the imprint of Paul, but Embry. And Jacob has sort of always had a crush on her, so drama am I right? I mean not too much drama, but a lil bit? Anyway, this will only loosely follow the series from New Moon to it's ending? I just needed Embry to be happy and have his own imprint story.

In other news, it feels good to be back. Any trolling reviews will be deleted. Reviews/faves/follows are loved and they will see to it that I actually don't just stop writing altogether. I hope y'all enjoy this rewrite of a rewrite of a rewrite. I miiight be thinking of having either Paul or Jacob imprint on someone other than who they did in the series, btw.. Which one would you rather see this happen to?

Peace out.


	2. Red Eyes And Bumps In The Night

The silence in the Swan household was almost oppressive and maybe that's why Sophie found herself lying awake, staring at the ceiling and listening to everything going on around her and all the night time noises in her father's house. A sigh loosened itself from her lips and she rolled over onto her stomach, glancing at the time on her cell phone.

12:03 am.

And she should be sleeping but something woke her up an hour before and she'd been lying there since trying to tell herself that she hadn't seen glowing red dots at her window or felt a cold hand trailing slowly up her bare leg as the sheet slid up over her body.

She really had to pee but she was not about to get up. Nope, not after having the holy shit scared out of her an hour ago, she'd just lie there and hold it. Her father was working a night case in the next town because it looked like it might be similar to one -or all of, the attacks currently going on around Forks.

Her sister was sitting in her room, probably in that damn chair, probably staring out the window. Essentially useless and if Sophie went in there because she'd obviously had a nightmare, she'd just run the risk of irritating her and Sophie didn't want their first conversation after all the stuff that happened last week to be a full fledged fight.

But then that howl shattered the silence, long and loud and shattering her resolve. She was drawn to her window and before she could stop herself, she was slipping out of bed and slipping on her favorite robe over the little slip she slept in, pressing her face and hand to the glass and peering down into the yard.

The wolf was back.

Sophie wasn't sure whether to worry about the way this wolf seemed to keep appearing or to just put it off to coincidence. Because since that afternoon last week she'd seen it again at least four times and one of those times, it seemed like it wanted to get closer to her, moving like it was in a trance.

She turned on the radio to drown out the silence, lowering the volume when it came on a little too loud.

The wolf still stood there, staring up at her window.

Her heart was beating a little faster and she felt this urge.. To go down, to see how close she could get to it before it retreated. She couldn't explain why, but it happened every single time that she saw the gray / black spotted wolf.

The door leading into the bathroom from her room creaking open quietly drew her out of her daze and when her sister spoke to her, her sister's voice was thick and husky from lack of use for nearly a week and a half, as if Bella had a really bad cold. The sound sent Sophie jumping straight into the air at least a foot and she turned quickly, her hand at her heart as she eyed her sister and raised a brow.

"What were you doing?" Bella asked as she looked from her sister to the window. Her sister seemed to tense up and started to edge bold and lacy sheer curtains closed but Bella stopped her midway and peered down into the yard, gaping at the sheer size of the wolf down below, just on the other side of the fence lining their backyard.

Bella eyed her sister and Sophie shrugged. "It howled, I woke up. What are you doing up?" she faked a yawn to make it seem that maybe she'd actually been asleep before Bella burst in on her, but she got this feeling that Bella wasn't buying it.

"You were about to go down there. You know what Charlie told us."

"I wasn't, I was just.. Looking at it." Sophie countered and then repeated the question she'd asked that Bella hadn't answered, "What are you doing up?"

"Forget it, it's crazy. I don't know why I thought you'd understand, I just.. I need to say it to someone. So you guys don't keep blaming Edward for what happened last week. He was trying to protect me."

"No, Bella, he left you in the woods after leading you out there. You're lucky he didn't kill you. You scared the hell out of us. I hope you get it now, Edward Cullen is a cold hearted bastard."

"He's not! That's not what happened at all, Sophia."

"Sophie, Bella, it's Sophie. And yes. Yes, that is exactly what happened. And God knows what he was planning to do to you, thank God he left instead, for whatever reason.. You have to see that he's not.. Right. The guy makes Jason Dean look like a box of fluffy kittens for Christ sake and Jason Dean laced a girl's milk with Draino!"

"He left because something happened and he had to. I chose to stay there because everything hurt. He broke up with me and he's gone and the absence of him is everywhere, it's like I can't breathe." Bella went off on a tangent about that night and Sophie sat there, listening, gaping at her older sister.

If what Bella said was true, then Bella was way worse than Sophie originally feared mentally. When Bella finished talking, she reached out, putting both hands on her sister's arms as she shook her. Bella glared as Sophie moved back to her spot on the bed and then Sophie told her quietly, "You're lucky I don't slap the taste out of your mouth. You had Daddy and I panicked that night and now you're sitting here and you're telling me that you chose to do that? That you couldn't handle a simple break up? Get a fucking grip, Bella, Christ." Sophie gave her sister a bitter look and shook her head as she told her quietly, "I'm so disgusted right now, I can't even. Get out of my room."

"I knew you wouldn't understand." Bella muttered the words quietly and Sophie turned to face her sister as she answered, "No, I don't. I just don't see what's so fucking great about that douchebag, okay? Forgive me, but you're my sister and he's almost gotten you in danger before! Forgive me for being worried about your actual safety and your mental state instead of how hurt you are and how stupidly you're handling it." Sophie pointed towards the door to the bathroom they shared and when Bella didn't budge, she went to open it and stood there by it, tapping her foot impatiently, her arms folded over her chest.

"You should tell Charlie about that wolf. Maybe that's what's behind all these attacks. And you'd better not go down to get a closer look at it, either." Bella said it firmly, as if Sophie were a child and needed to be told how to stay safe. Sophie wanted to laugh bitterly at the way her sister did it but instead, she shut the door behind her sister and leaned against it, taking a few deep breaths.

"I hope to God that fucking jerk never comes back here. He has completely ruined my older sister and I will always hate him for it. Death wouldn't be kind enough for that jerk." Sophie made her way across the room and she fell across the bed and just as she started to doze off again, she could have sworn she felt coolness against her skin. Her eyes popped open and she could barely make out something standing over her bed..

And when she tried to move or scream, she quickly discovered that she possessed the complete inability to move or to scream or do anything but stare up in wide eyed horror as glowing red dots stared down at her.

And then, it was gone.

And with her ability to scream and move returned, she screamed bloody holy hell and jumped out of her bed, bolting down the stairs for the phone to call her father at the station. She'd just picked up the phone when Bella spoke up behind her.

"What's going on? I heard you screaming like you were being murdered and now you're down here moving around like you're scared to death."

"There was.. Someone in this house with us, Bella. You better pray to God your creep isn't doing this or so help me God, I'll kill him myself."

"Edward's gone. And he wouldn't hurt either of us."

"Right. Says the nutjob who spent an entire night in the forest because he broke up with her.. Oh and let's not forge the cast last year, that whole thing in Phoenix." Sophie was freaking out, she didn't even realize she'd started to cry a little until she felt a tear roll down her cheek. She wiped away at it quickly and glared at her older sister as she picked up the phone.

"Either way, I'm calling Dad."

"I'll go back upstairs and make sure whatever it is is gone."

Bella started to turn the room but Sophie stopped her. "Are you mental? You can't go back up? What if they're still up there?"

"And what if you were just having a nightmare?"

"I know what I saw, Bella!"

"You were half asleep. How do you really know anyone was in your room?" but on the inside, Bella was flipping out a little. What the hell was going on? That was twice. Twice she'd seen glowing red dots in the darkness of her room at night. And tonight, when the bathroom door opened and shut and she heard her drawers being open and closed… Bella was freaking out but she had to stay calm because if she showed panic then Sophie would panic and blow it way out of proportion and a lot of things Bella had worked her ass off to keep hidden were going to come out.

And that would not be a good thing for either of them.

* * *

"The trail went cold again. Fuck!" Embry swung at the nearest tree and the sapling snapped under the impact of his fist. He was just about to punch another tree when Paul cut through his tirade and said "If we split up, man. Maybe we can start at opposite ends of the forest and drive that undead bastard right out into the clearing. Then we tear him to bits."

"It was a woman with red hair. I saw her.. Standing on one of the cliffs at First Beach, looking down. Kinda like she was watching for someone." Sam emerged, catching his breath. He'd been chasing a man, one of the Cold Ones through the forest. If it hadn't disappeared and he hadn't gotten distracted by seeing the lone woman with flame colored hair on the cliffs above him, he would have caught the Cold One.

"Those bastards are invading our turf now. I say screw the treaty we made and burn 'em all. The son of a bitch went into Embry's imprint's room tonight, Sam!" Paul swore and glared at the Alpha of their pack and Sam shook his head calmly.

"We have to find out what they're up to and why they're here."

"No, we don't. For once, Sam, I agree with Paul. I say screw waiting to find out. I say we end all this crap the Cullens apparently started once and for all. He was in Sophie's room." Embry wasn't backing down. This wasn't like being asked to keep his distance for his imprint's personal safety or not being allowed to tell his mother what he was and where he went at night. This was different. This was endangering Sophie and Embry was not having that.

* * *

Charlie rushed through the front door of his house to find Bella and Sophie both sitting in the living room, in the dark. Sophie had a baseball bat in her hand and Bella had apparently grabbed for the nearest kitchen knife she could get her hands on. When the door banged shut signalling his arrival, both girls sprang up off the couch and he turned on the light, looking from one daughter to the other.

"What happened? Start from the beginning. Anything you can tell me, Sophie.. It might help us finally nail this person."

"You think it's the one attacking and killing all those other kids?"

"I have my suspicions." Charlie eyed his daughter as he tried to get his head around the results of the latest coroner's report on the last body they found.

Drained of all blood.

And if that sicko had broken into his home tonight and scared his daughters? Charlie wasn't going to be a cop when he found the sicko.

He waited and finally, Sophie started to tell him everything. And if not for some of the details,… He really wanted to believe her but.. Glowing red eyes like out of a horror movie?

"I'm telling you dad, there was someone in here. But I think Sophie is wrong about the eyes." Bella was staring up at her father.

In his anger and worry and fear over the safety of his daughters, it wouldn't dawn on him that tonight marked the first time Bella had left her room other than for school in a week and a half. At the moment, he was only worried about the safety of his girls.

"You two stay down here. I'm going up there to make sure there's no one in the house."

The second their father was up the stairs, Bella spoke up quietly.

"You can't tell Dad about the red eyes, okay?"

"Why the hell not? I saw them, Bella!"

"I'm not saying you didn't. I'm saying that if you tell him and he goes after whatever.. These people are.. Then we'll all be in danger. And Edward is gone. He can't protect us."

"Screw that douchebag! The guy couldn't guard a locked cell. Dad's a cop! He can stop this shit."

"Sophie, you don't understand what you're getting into."

"No, Bella, not what I'm getting into. What I've been dragged into, by you, kicking and screaming. I love you, I really do. I just think.."

"What?"

"That prick Edward could be behind all this.. And if he is.."

"He's not!"

"We're all clear." Charlie spoke up from the doorway, eyeing his two daughters. He'd missed the whole of their argument but one look at the two told the tale. They'd been fighting about something and deep down, Charlie found himself getting the feeling that somehow, at the bottom of all of it, the source of the problem was Edward Cullen.

The kid was gone and he was still ruining their lives.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing daddy."

"Nothing. We were just arguing over the person who got in here actually having red eyes."

With that, both girls trodded upstairs to their rooms to go back to sleep. And Bella's stomach churned a little when she happened to notice that one of her drawers that hadn't been open earlier was wide open.

She dug through.

The only thing that was missing was one of her sweaters. She felt a chill run down her back because she was getting a really bad feeling.

She just had to hope like hell she was completely and totally wrong about that bad feeling and that nothing bad was about to happen…

* * *

Authors Note: Oh wow, I have a review and a favorite already, I wish I could hug you both. Neither of you have any idea what that means to me or how much it made my day, logging on here to edit something I noticed and discovering that. I actually got the idea to write my own version of events for the timeline, so yes, the above chapter is about the Seattle Newborn Army, but everything will be kinda different and happen a hell of a lot sooner than it did in the book itself or the movie. My intention is to sort of have it unfold as some sort of backburner drama? Anyway, yeah. Another chapter.

I love you all so much and I really, really, really missed posting my stories on here and it's so good to be back!


	3. Close Calls

A/N: Due to the slight graphic nature of this chapter and stuff, I had to post this up here, at the top. The situation mentioned here is not intended to trigger anyone. It's mentioned briefly that Sophie has an encounter with a pushy guy at a party on the beach.. And then the situation escalates when a vampire confronts her in the woods.. But, I tried to write this as vaguely as possible, but still have it contain enough action to keep your attention grabbed. I just hope to fuck it's all sort of realistic.

Also, I sort of gave Bella a smallish sisterly/human and caring moment. Because despite my utter loathing of the way Meyers wrote her, there were small things I liked about her and her closeness to her family and Edward, the way she tended to put herself on the line to protect or help them, I did like that. So, I wanna enhance the one or two traits she has that I do like here, in the hopes that maybe I can sort of redeem a character that so many, myself included, seem to hate with enough passion to combust the sun?

Sorry if this chapter is inaccurate and over the top. I really hope it isn't, when I got the idea earlier, I thought it'd be kinda cool to throw it in here and it seemed to fit the timeline I'm going with of my own making.

Wow.. Two reviews and 6/5 faves and follows! I'm so thrilled that anyone is actually reading this, tbh! I love you all so much and I thank you guys for sticking with me through my hiatuses and stuff. God knows my writing is horrid.

* * *

THREE

Close Calls

"Leave me alone, Theo." Sophie tried to step around the jerk, but he cut off her path, towering over her. She swallowed hard and attempted to give him a firm shove away. Given that he was built like an actual fucking tank, the gesture went relatively un noticed, but it didn't stop the drunk teenager from trying to grab at her arms and pull her against him.

She'd told him she'd dance with him once. And she had.

"C'mon, pre-..pretty."

"Theo, you're drunk. And I'm leaving." Sophie tried again to step around, but he grabbed her waist and she stomped his foot, taking off at a break neck run. A run in which she didn't stop to look around or think about where she'd go, she just went by instinct. The party was at the beach, she knew that if she really ran like hell, she could make it through the creepy darkness and overgrown majority of the forest in five minutes, tops. And she'd be home.

She could hear him shouting behind her, but it only sped up her running. Until running and scared teenager met with immovable object..

As soon as she saw those two glowing dots of red, she screamed.. Or she went to scream, but this icy hand closed over her mouth. And a wintry blast of air right next to her ear as this husky voice said quietly, "Was going to try and find myself a deer.. But this works too, sweetheart."

The red eyed man howled this unearthly sound when she bit down on his hand and tore off running again. Now, she was freaked out and the tears came and she couldn't stop shaking. So when the red eyes appeared ahead of her, blocking her clear shot to the back fence of her father's house, she panicked and lost her balance and the man advanced, moving towards her with a slow and deliberate pace, licking his lips.

When she saw those jagged and sharp and bloody teeth, she started to cry and scream and make as much noise as humanly possible.. Until she opened her mouth in what she thought would be a horror movie worthy scream and literally no sound came at all.

The man chuckled and he stopped in front of her, kneeling.

He extended his hand as if to help her up, she spat at him and shrank back as far as humanly possible. Her hair caught on twigs from the bushes behind her and she grimaced in pain.

"Now what you're going to do, dear.. Is be really still. We don't need this being any harder than it has to be.." the man leaned in. His cold beak like nose brushed her neck and he breathed in deeply, almost as if he were smelling her and his brow quirked.

She could vaguely see him by the light of the moon now and honestly, if this guy was like the ones her sister talked about in her diary, Sophie didn't see the fucking attraction or beauty in them at all.

His youthful appearance and that old voice.. The combination of the two had her completely freaking out.

Just as his pointed fingernail grazed her lower lip and she managed a small mouse like squeak just by sheer force of will, the growls came from all around her.

… _so this is it.. this is how I die… fuck my actual life right now… why'd I have to be such a spaz?… would staying and dealing with a drunk asshole's unwanted advances really have been as bad as what's probably about to happen?_ … the thought came right as the man swept her off the ground.. When the wolf she'd been seeing lunged at the man, the man dropped her, hard.

And when she came to, she found herself lying on the couch in the den and her sister was there, watching her like a hawk, a worried look in her eyes that Sophie hadn't seen in a little over a year.

For a few seconds, neither of them really spoke. Sophie winced and rubbed at her head when she sat up and she felt it pounding and Bella asked quietly, "What happened to you?"

"I saw it again, Bella. That red eyed friend of your idiot ex? I.."

"What were you even doing in the woods tonight? And don't lie, if you didn't come home from First Beach through the forest, you wouldn't have passed out on the back porch after knocking." Bella was really starting to sound like her old self again, pre – Edward. She was even doing the pacing and nonstop wringing of her hands again, just like she used to when Sophie got hurt or sick or something upset her and Bella was trying to figure out the best way to go about handling the situation.

"Bells.. Sit down."

"Not until you tell me everything that happened, okay? This is important."

"You won't believe me. It happened to me and I'm.." Sophie took a few breaths and finished quietly, "having trouble believing it.. Can I have some water?"

"You didn't drink tonight, right?"

"Not a drop. You know me. I can't handle the stuff! We had that champagne the one time at our aunt's wedding and I wound up throwing up." Sophie swore to herself when she realized that it didn't matter, her saying she hadn't drank.

Theo had managed to dowse both of them in the beer he was drinking when Sophie shoved through him and took off on her idiots escape earlier. She reeked of beer now as a result. Sophie sighed and then said as calmly as possible, "You gotta believe me! This guy bought beer and the others were drinking but I was trying to leave and that jerk, Theo.. You know the one whose always being a creep? He tried to corner me. I panicked, shoved him, he spilled his beer and I hauled ass away.. I swear that's what happened!" Sophie said it in a rush, leaning back against the sofa as she took a few deep breaths.

Just replaying it all in her head now had her freaking out all over again. Her skin was crawling, her heart was beating out of her chest almost and she felt like she'd puke everywhere the way her stomach churned.

She spooked ridiculously easy and she'd always hated that about herself. And earlier tonight, that one fatal flaw almost got her killed. But Theo cornered her, he was being creepy, she had to get away.

Or she'd felt like it at the time.

She couldn't think of too many other girls who wouldn't have shared the sentiment, come to think of it. Theo was the one guy at Forks High that every single girl tried their best to avoid when they were out alone if he showed up.

"So that Theo jerk scared you and you left. Then what happened? Because you're dirty and there are sticks in your hair and you were freaking out on me when I helped you inside."

"I told you! I saw that fucking thing! It tried to attack… And then there were wolves and.. I don't know, okay? The guy picked me up and the wolves startled him and he dropped me!"

Bella eyed her and Sophie stood, wincing. Her ankle throbbed. She vaguely remembered tripping when that red eyed man cornered her, before the wolves came. She must have hurt it then. She stepped towards the stairs and Bella sighed and then admitted quietly, "I saw it too.. In the woods earlier this week."

"What were you doing in the woods?" Sophie turned to look at her sister and Bella nodded to the couch. Sophie sat and waited and Bella explained that she'd went for a walk.

To the Cullens.

To see if they were really gone.

"Dad specifically told us not to."

"And you can't say anything because what did you do tonight, hmm?"

"Shut up." Sophie didn't mean to snap, but she was still on edge. Bella flinched slightly and Sophie gave a quick apology and she took a few shaky breaths. "I saw that wolf again too, Bells. And that wolf saved my life. So to answer your accusation from a few nights ago, no.. The wolf is not what's doing all this with the attacks."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm still.. Trying to get my heart out of my throat right now.. I need to go make sure the wolves are okay. They saved my life out there tonight." Sophie started for the door, Bella cut her off and shook her head, pointing up the stairs.

"What you're going to do right now, Sophie Elaine Swan, is go up and take a bath. Then I'll bring you Aleve and you're going to bed. No more talk of wolves and red eyes. I.. You scared the hell out of me just now, okay?" and when Bella hugged her spontaneously, a stiff hug, Sophie eyed her sister and reached out, feeling at Bella's forehead for a temperature.

"What was that for?" Bella pouted at Sophie and Sophie could only shake her head and mutter that it had been nothing as she stepped away, trudging up the stairs and going straight to her bedroom window, staring down into the yard.

"I hope they're all okay. And none of this explains how I got to the house. I couldn't have walked.. Could I?" Sophie grabbed her favorite slip and robe and her phone and it's earphones and she got into the tub, putting the earbuds into her ears, turning up her music in a desperate attempt to just sort of.. Not think about earlier.

Because if she thought about it, she'd almost swear she was the one going insane and not her older sister..

* * *

"I'm telling you, Sam. If you don't let me rip him to shreds, I am going to lose my shit." Embry practically growled as he tried to push through Paul. Sam took a few deep breaths and mused aloud, "Starting to totally re evaluate this no contact with your imprint rules. Tonight was too close. We have to do something to stop these jerks."

"Ripping them apart sounds like a good plan. I'm with the dork on this one, Uley." Paul tossed a marshmellow into the air and caught it in his mouth and Embry gave a glare but nodded.

"There are two of us, one of you. Majority rules."

"Getting braver since you imprinted, are you?" Sam eyed the Beta male and then chuckled, but he nodded. "It's actually a unanimous vote. Because the stunt they pulled tonight and that attempt of an attack earlier? I'm done playing nice. The sooner we find one, catch it and use it to set an example, hopefully, the sooner we restore balance and order. The Cullens are gone now, those bastards shouldn't even still be here if they were only here because of it."

"But they are."

"Not for long." Sam gave a solemn shake of his head as the three males stared into the fire. Paul broke the silence and laughed as he told Embry, "That was a pretty fucking solid punch you threw earlier.. To that guy who caused Sophie to run in the first place?"

"He's lucky I didn't phase like I wanted. If I hadn't.. Stopped myself. I barely stopped myself. It fucking freaked me out." Embry shook his head as he took a marshmellow and slid it onto a stick, holding it in the fire.

All three males were tired and they were irritated. They'd managed to lose track of another one tonight. And they were getting more than a little bit tired of the other groups numbers outranking their own.

"Billy seems to think Jacob is on the verge of a phase." Sam mentioned it casually and Embry tensed all over, just at the mention of Jacob. There was a strain there lately, he knew by now that Jacob had been creating excuses to go to the Swan house with his father. He claimed it was an attempt to help Bella through a hard time but Embry knew how Jacob had always been about Sophie.. About anyone getting too close to her.

It made zero sense.

He'd been like this when they were all kids too, trying to be a literal human wedge whenever Charlie bought Sophie and Bella over to visit and he and Quil happened to be at Jacob's house playing too.

Embry only thought it drove him nuts as a kid. It drove him right up the wall now, given that Sophie was his imprint and every time he turned around, Jacob was making these remarks about having seen her.. Or he'd find some way to slip it into a conversation that he'd talked to her.

If Jacob kept going, Embry was afraid that Sophie would wind up choosing him. And it was the absolute last thing he wanted happening.

Paul laughed, snapping his fingers in front of Embry's face.

"What?"

"You do realize that Sophie barely even acknowledged Jacob that night we were all looking for Bella, right?"

"He's Jacob. She knows him better than me." Embry's voice was flat and Paul shook his head at the guy.

Any idiot that night could clearly see the connection between imprinter and imprintee. Embry was just letting his own fears and insecurities get in the way of the bigger picture. And Paul disliked Jacob enough to do whatever it took to help out a pack mate.

"Did you entirely miss the way she kept scooting closer to you? Or the way she kept watching you that night? And your jacket.. She didn't wanna give that back when she did. And I still say you shoulda told her to keep it, just to rub it in Black's face."

"I'm _not_ like that. And despite this one huge thing, Jacob's been my best friend since we were kids. When he's finally one of us, he'll get it and he'll back the fuck off."

"Yeah, well.. This one huge thing would be enough to break that for me... I know I wouldn't be sitting back and taking for granted that when Jacob's one of us he'll magically leave her alone... Look. Take it from me. That imprint is **not** going to fail, Call. And you're an idiot if you keep sitting here and doubting the strength of it.. Or the fact that maybe, just maybe, a girl out there actually has the common sense to choose the better guy for once. You haven't even tried. What are you, huh? A pussy? That kid Quil said earlier that he's always thought Sophie really liked you more than Jacob Black. Go for it already!"

"Enough, Paul." Sam cut through the conversation and then he stated calmly, "Given the incident tonight, Embry, I don't think it would be an entirely bad idea to at least run into her more.. Get to know her. If you're around her enough and your scent is on her.. Maybe it'll act as a deterrent."

"You're saying I can.. Be in contact with her."

"It's almost been a month since you imprinted her, yes. I think enough time's passed. You haven't had an anger phase in a while. Tonight I can't blame you for. We were all mad, between that attack on the girl earlier and what that… Leech.. What it tried to do to your imprint." Sam trailed off and Embry gave him a relieved smile as he promised quickly, "You will not regret this, I swear."

"Now, dork.. How are you gonna go about doing this, huh?"

"I.. don't know." Embry sighed in frustration.


	4. Interruptions And Confessions

A/N: Omg, I love you right now, Morgan, your review really teared me up and I could hug you for it. Thank you so much for reviewing and your kind words. And thank you to the 7/5 who decided that maybe this story is worth a flying fuck and are reading! I'm so happy right now, I could literally squeal. I love you all so much and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

So this chapter, I.. Fuck. I have nothing other to say than I maybe got a teensy bit carried away, oops? Anyway, let's get into it!

* * *

FOUR

Interruptions & Confessions

Her head was absolutely pounding when she sat up in bed the next morning. Stretching, Sophie's eyes settled on her alarm clock and she gaped at the time. It was a little after 12 pm.

She could hear the noise from her father's television downstairs and she slipped out of bed, putting on her robe and groggily, she made her way down to the kitchen.. Where she promptly collided with Jacob in the hallway. The shocker was that Bella was out of her room.

Then again, given Bella's recent shift in priorities where the opposite sex was concerned, it really shouldn't have been such a shocker to Sophie.

Bella eyed her sister critically and winced at the bruise. "I told Charlie you had a rough night. I did not mention that thing and you shouldn't either."

"What exactly do you mean you told Charlie I had a 'rough night?'" Sophie stifled a yawn and finding the coffee pot, she poured herself a cup, promptly diluting her coffee with milk and a scoop of sugar. Bella grimaced at the concoction and Sophie took a sip, waiting on her older sister to answer.

"I told him that you tripped and fell and hit your head. That is what happened, remember? I'm still trying to figure out how you actually made it to our deck, but.. I told him the truth."

"Great. Now he's probably worried sick and thinking any number of things. I don't get why I can't just say I saw the red eyed thing, Bella!" Sophie hissed it quietly at her sister and Bella took a few deep breaths, an impatient scowl painted on her face as she answered as calmly as possible, "We've been over this already when that thing burst in here on us. It's.. Complicated."

"What you mean is that this prick is somehow connected to those freaking creepy ass Cullens and you're hell bent on.." Sophie trailed off as Jacob cleared his throat as if to remind them both that he was in fact still present in the room.

"Everything okay?" Jacob looked from one sister to the other, trying not to focus too long on Sophie, blushing when he couldn't manage.

Sophie pretended not to notice and she kept her eyes trained on her older sister, debating heavily on just marching right into the den and telling her father that she thought Bella was up to something. She had to be, Sophie thought, why else would she raise so much hell about me simply telling the truth? Why would she go above and beyond to cover up what happened to me last night?

The thought was dismissed and Jacob repeated his question. Sophie sighed and grumbled that everything was fine and she pointedly told Bella, "I'm going up to change. You better just keep your mouth shut about last night, okay? And I swear to God, if you even think about insinuating that the wolves had anything to do with me being scared shitless last night and falling, I'm telling Daddy about old red eyes."

"Fine." Bella grumbled the word as she crossed her arms and Sophie gave a 'hmmph', turning to walk up the stairs. Jacob scratched his head and asked quietly, "She saw a cold one.. didn't she?"

"More than saw it. For some reason, Jake, it tried to attack her. I'm worried."

"But not enough to do the smart thing and leave them all alone.. Right?"

"Jacob.."

"Bella, how much more shit will it take for you to see how dangerous your creepy ex and his weird friends are?"

"Jacob, this is different. I don't know who these people are or what they want, but.. I know Edward is not connected. I just.. Feel it."

Jacob rolled his eyes and let the subject drop. Sophie bounded down the stairs again, fully dressed and he couldn't help but watch her as she stepped around them and continued to walk down the hallway, disappearing into the kitchen.

Charlie walked into the kitchen and after a few seconds, he asked quietly, "Your sister said you had a bad night last night.."

"Some jerk at a party was being pushy so I left. I spazzed and ran and tripped. I'm okay, Daddy, I swear."

"That's all?"

"That's all." Sophie promised, even though she felt so damn guilty for omitting huge parts of what actually happened. And honestly, given the way Bella had been lately because of that jerk Edward, she wasn't sure why she was doing it and not telling her father the entire truth.

… _deep down you hope she'll go back to being herself… that maybe, if you don't rat her out on this, she'll at least try to be your sister again and not some crazy and obsessed shell of her former self_ … the thought occupied Sophie as she fixed herself a toaster strudel and finished off the cup of coffee she'd poured herself before going upstairs to change.

Charlie winced at the small bump on his daughter's forehead. "Are you sure you're alright? Did you at least hold ice on that? Stay awake for a few hours after it happened? What on earth did you trip over, princess?"

"You know me, daddy.. Always a bit clumsy when gymnastics, dancing or cheerleading isn't involved."

"Yeah, well.. That looks like one hell of a bump." Charlie hugged Sophie and fluffed at her hair, making her pout up at him as she hugged back. He wasn't sure why, but he got this feeling that neither Bella nor Sophie were being totally straight with him about what really happened last night, but he knew that sooner or later, Sophie would wind up telling him. She wasn't very good at keeping things hidden, she never had been. And he got this feeling that when she did tell him, he was going to have to have a serious talk with her older sister about her choice of friends and their impact on her sister. Because he wasn't sure why, but something about the incident screamed Edward Cullen.

He pushed the thought out of his head. Cullen was gone. Maybe things would slowly return to normal now. Maybe last night was what it was and maybe Sophie had taken a drink or something and Bella was just covering for her. This line of thought prompted him to tell Sophie "You know if this party you were at had alcohol and you tried it that you could tell me, right? And that you could call me to come and get you any time and I will, no questions asked..."

"Daddy, no. They did have alcohol, but I did not drink it. I don't like puking my guts out, remember the time I tried to sneak champagne at our aunts wedding? Learned my lesson then. I.. Didn't call because I was just in a hurry to get away from Theo Harper, the walking horndog and I didn't stop to think?"

"So it was Harper's kid."

"Yes. Ugh, I swear, that guy couldn't be any creepier if he tried. Is Mr. Harper like that?"

"He's kind of a perverted asshole, yeah."

"That explains Theo then. It's only the beginning of October, daddy, but I kid you not. Every single girl in my grade has slapped, kicked him in the balls or punched him for being gross. And we try telling the principal but we all know how Forks High treats their star football player."

"Do I need to go down there?"

"I wouldn't be upset with you if you did." Sophie admitted as she turned to glance out of the kitchen window and she happened to see it, the large wolf from the night before. She sat down her empty coffee mug and after slipping on her sneakers, she made her way out into the back yard, going straight to the fence.

The wolf was just.. Sitting there, watching her.

She extended her hand slowly, carefully.. And again, the wolf let her touch it's coarse gray and black spotted fur. She moved a little closer to the fence, the fence was literally the only thing between herself and the wolf now. The wolf nuzzled against the palm of her hand and she gasped a little at the unexpected gentleness. "You saved my life last night. I'll never let anything happen to you, okay? I promise." she caught the sound of her own voice in her ears and she almost wanted to laugh because really, was she standing there… whispering?

She shot into the air when she heard her name being called from the door of the house.

"Coming!" she answered and then, she turned her attention back to her large and fur covered protector.

"I can't figure something out.. Your eyes.. They look real. Like a human's." Sophie shook her head and after a few lingering seconds, she made herself go back inside.

"You're gonna be okay here alone?"

"Alone?"

"Bella's gone with Jacob. They wanted you to go.. Or Jacob seemed to. But Bella couldn't get out of here fast enough. I think the poor guy caved in just to appease her." Charlie told her as he slipped on his jacket and grabbed his badge and gun, then finished explaining, "I got called into the station. There was another attack this morning."

"I.. I'll be fine." Sophie could feel her stomach tensing, and suddenly, she wanted to punch her sister in the throat. Bella had purposely done it, left with Jacob after making it so that Jacob didn't wait on her to go along.

"Are you sure?"

"Dad, I'm sixteen. Not six. I'm fine. I'm probably just going to lay around and watch movies today, I'm just not feeling it."

"You have that dance class later." Charlie eyed her in concern. It wasn't like Sophie, missing a dance class.

"I'm still sort of hurting from last night. I called Dawn earlier and told her I wasn't going to be in class a few afternoons. I don't wanna mess up my ankle before cheering competition.. And I have that gymnastics meet coming up soon."

"Yeah. Well, if you need me. All you have to do is call me."

"I will, I promise." Sophie gave her father a hug and shut the door behind him, locking it. She'd just flopped down on the couch after putting Dirty Dancing into the dvd player when there was a knock at the door.

"Now who is this?" she wondered aloud as she limped to the front door, peering through the peephole.

She leaned against the wall heavily and took a few deep breaths. Why was her damn heart about to beat right out of her chest right now?

She opened the door and suddenly, all of her usual boldness went right out of the window and she was a foot shuffling, blushing and awkward mess lingering in the doorway under the eyes of Embry Call.

Embry towered over her now, she couldn't help but notice it.

"Embry, hi.. Do you wanna come in?"

"You don't mind.." he asked the question, wondering to himself if he'd ever not get totally dazed or blissed out, being around her. It made things harder for him to focus. Everything about her, he corrected himself, made it hard for him to focus and be a coherent human being.

It wasn't just the imprinting thing. Because he had to face it. He'd had a huge crush on her when they were all kids. He'd simply forgotten it until he saw her again and subsequently imprinted her.

She stepped out of the doorway, letting him step into the house and he slid off his jacket, hanging it on the hook on the wall. She was staring up at him and then a smile played across her lips.

"I'm glad you're here actually, I.. Bella left with Jacob and Charlie went to the station and I just.. I'm not good at the whole home alone thing lately.."

"Everything okay?" he practically blurted out the question and Sophie sighed, shook her head. "There's so much weird shit going on around here lately. I'm living it and I can't even begin to get my head around it. I was gonna.. Make popcorn.. You want some?"

Embry nodded to her slightly swollen ankle and pointed out quietly, "You should probably be sitting right now. I can get it? I mean if you don't mind.."

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you wait on me hand and foot." but before she could say anything else, Embry was chuckling and he'd sort of gingerly picked her up and was sitting her on the couch in her father's den.

She could feel her cheeks burning and the feel of his hands was.. Something she knew she had no business entertaining at her age but she couldn't help it. She was going to blame the romance novels she read way too many of.

Yep, that was what she was going with.

She'd started the movie when Embry came back in with popcorn and sodas and flopped down next to her. And as her eyes met his, she couldn't help but think about the wolf about an hour ago.. And she wasn't sure why, but something about the wolf's eyes, come to think of it, it made her think of Embry's eyes.

She shook her head at the thought. That was insane. She sounded almost as insane as she felt her sister was being lately. And she promptly felt herself heating up all over again when he caught her staring.

He leaned in and his fingertip lingered gingerly at the small bump on her forehead. "That looks gnarly.. how'd it happen?"

"Long story short. Theo Harper was being a jerk, I left the beach to get away from him and like an idiot I ran through the forest.. At night.. And.. Forget it, it'll sound insane. It sounds insane to me now and I'm the one it happened to, Embry." she couldn't help but notice that she was leaning in closer to him.

"Just tell me."

"Fine. I'm pretty sure I sprang my ankle and got this bump when a man with glowing red eyes dropped me.. Because a pack of large wolves scared him, saving my life in the process. And that thing with the red eyes? He's either connected to my sister or that jerk Cullen because last night wasn't the first night I've seen him.. He lurks around here. And I cannot prove this.." Sophie trailed off, waiting for Embry to butt in, to do what her father had and try to suggest alternates to what she knew to be true.. Or Bella. But Bella, she was convinced was just hell bent on harboring whoever the fuck this red eyed man was and didn't want their father to know that she knew or that it was true.

Charlie, like anyone else, probably thought it sounded nuts.

"You were saying?" he was listening intently, he took a hand full of the popcorn, shoveling it into her mouth as he did so. Anything to distract from… The things the other half of him wanted and needed.

"You're not going to say I'm nuts or I saw things or something?" Sophie asked, looking at him as if she were waiting on him to promise her he wouldn't laugh. Embry nodded and slightly leaned in a little more, taking her hand in his.

"In the whole time I've known you.. Even if we didn't know each other that well.. Have I ever laughed at something you said?"

"N-no.. But this is a bit much, Embry.."

"And it doesn't matter cos whatever it is obviously bothers you. So tell me. I'll tickle it out of you." Embry teased gently, just to attempt lightening the mood.

"Fine.. I think these red eyed men are the reason people are getting attacked.. And this part is the crazy part.. Just going off what I've heard the adults in town and Daddy whispering about, Embry.. I'm scared.. Because if this shit is real and these.. things exist.. What'll happen to all of us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Vampires, Embry. I think the red eyed man I keep seeing is a vampire. Or he's a nutcase who thinks he is and he's going around killing and attacking and draining his victims blood. I know. It's insane." Sophie put her head on her hand and laughed at herself a little. _It would be one hell of a lot funnier,_ she thought bitterly, _if I haven't had the shit scared out of me twice now by the son of a bitch._.

Embry wasn't laughing. His utter lack of laughter was what made Sophie look up and over at him as she wiped her eyes and tried to hide her face again. She'd never been fond of people seeing her cry. And this, well.. She honestly didn't have a reason to be crying.

Other than the fact that she'd gotten scared shitless by the same red eyed man twice and lately, she was scared that the man was after her or something.

"Hey, shh.." Embry didn't think, he simply pulled her against him, his hands smoothing over her hair as he told her in a hopefully calming tone, "It's okay. You're okay. Those wolves saved your life last night.. I'll have to remember to thank them.. And as far as the other stuff.. If it's what you saw doing all the attacks and he's why the few dead bodies have turned up.. Someone will catch him."

… _damn right we will… if I have to stay out in the forest all night waiting_ … Embry thought to himself as he continue to try and soothe her and get her calm again. "Have you told Charlie that Bella keeps stopping you from saying anything about certain parts of it?"

… _what the fuck, Embry.. if that part comes out, it'll all come out and you can't tell her just yet.. no matter how much you want to_ … He shoved the thought out of his head. All that mattered to him was her. Her safety was the most important thing.

"I almost did this morning but.. I thought about how crazy it all sounded when I was thinking about it all after it happened last night and I stopped. But if it keeps going on, I'm going to. I can't.. I can't just sit back on this if it could help Daddy stop this prick."

Embry nodded. They were moving closer together and the door flew open suddenly with Bella and Jacob standing in it, staring at them. Jacob flashed Embry a glare and Embry returned the glare. Bella nodded to Embry and then told Jacob calmly, "I told you she'd be fine here. See? She's got Embry with her."

"Bella's right." Sophie spoke up, a brow raised at the whole remark Bella made. Jacob had been worried about her being left alone? Since when was he not fixated on her sister? As far as she could recall.. He'd always been closer to Bella, following her around like a little lost puppy.. When he wasn't being annoying or playing mean jokes on her, of course. He'd always been nicer to Bella.

Embry wanted to punch his so called best friend.

Jacob glared at Embry and shook his head, mouthed calmly, " Did I interrupt something, Call?"

"Get lost, Black." Embry mouthed it back and instantly, he felt bad about it, but he knew exactly what Jacob was up to at the moment. He was doing what he'd always covertly done when it came to Embry getting even a little closer to Sophie when they were kids. He was playing human wedge.

Embry spoke up.

"Bella's right. Sophie is fine, I just wanted to come over and see her. Since I haven't seen her in years." Embry flashed a smile and Bella looked from Embry to Jacob and then at Sophie.

Jacob and Quil's warnings about Sam Uley and Embry being a member of his little group prompted her to be a little unsure about leaving Sophie alone with Embry.. But parts of her had this feeling that Jacob was exaggerating things too.

It didn't take an idiot to see that Jacob had a thing for her sister now. And Bella felt guilty at the sudden surge of jealousy that hit her as she had the thought. Bella cleared her throat and reluctantly, Jacob turned and told Bella quietly, "Let's go then.. Do whatever you wanted to do."

Sophie felt bad because he looked hurt, but in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but feel like Jacob had gotten some small burst of satisfaction from bursting in on them like he had. And she was more than a little irritated at that realization. What the hell was with Jacob lately?

Embry started to loosen up, he'd been completely tensed when Jacob burst in, and when Sophie seemed to snuggle back against his side, starting the movie again, he took a deep breath to further help him relax.

Because between the almost kiss and Jacob's interruption, he was so tightly wound he felt like he'd explode.

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what the hell was up with Jacob just now but he's been acting like a grade A weirdo lately. Even weirder than usual if possible." Sophie spoke up, reaching out to take some popcorn as Embry shrugged.

Nothing mattered now. He was with her. And surprisingly, it was taking almost nothing for him to actually calm down after everything.

Sophie stared up at him as he stared straight ahead at the tv set. She'd been about to kiss him. And honestly, she still wanted to. She wanted to so bad that she felt jittery all over. Kind of excited.

When he looked down at her and found her staring, he gave a laugh and smiled. "Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah, yeah.. I was just.. You have a little." she reached in, licking her thumb and wiping the butter away from the corner of his mouth.. Mostly just to dispel the sudden nervous and excited energy she was filled with. He leaned in a little, intending to do the same thing and their lips brushed kind of awkwardly.

When her hand rested across the back of his neck and she pulled his lips in completely, he groaned against her lips and his fingers tangled in the ends of her hair, giving a slight tug, giving himself more access to her mouth. She gasped and her tongue traced his lower lip. He nipped at her lower lip and deepened the kiss, leaning in even more before resorting to pulling her into his lap. Her arms went around his neck and she was playing in the hair at the nape of his neck as the kiss broke and they just sat there, wide eyed and staring as they both panted to catch their breath.

"I shouldn't have done that.." she blurted it out nervously but Embry shook his head quickly, "no, no.. I mean unless you didn't want to.."

"Oh, I did, just.. I didn't think you'd want me to.."

"Oh, I did." he admitted, biting his lip as he stared at her intently, noticing the way her cheeks flushed, her eyes seemed to get brighter and her lips were sort of swelling under the impact his lips had made while kissing her. Her hair was slightly messy.. It took everything he had to reign himself in.

He didn't want to move too fast, come on too strong. But the intensity of what he felt every single time he was near her was.. More than enough to drive someone crazy.

"Actually, Embry.. I think I wouldn't mind if it happened again.. I just.. Fuck. I shouldn't have said that."

He laughed. Being flustered was not like her and he thought it was cute. He blushed himself at her words and admitted quietly, " 't's okay. I wouldn't mind if it happened again either, I just.. Don't want to rush you."

"Oh thank God. I thought I just said way too much."


	5. A Misunderstanding

A/N: Omg, I love you right now, everyone who has reviewed this and left kind and encouraging words and I'm sorry I didn't upload this sooner! I love you all for taking the time to comment, to leave a like or a follow, it all means so much for me and I'm so blown away rn I can't even. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my tiny little heart. I love you all so much.

And this chapter, sadly, was a bit of a downer. But it's going to get happy/funny again really soon, I swear. We'll be getting to see a bit of Sophie's feisty nature with the next chapter or so, because of the events set forth in this one.

* * *

FIVE

A MISUNDERSTANDING

"You don't just kiss someone like that and then disappear." Sophie bit her lip as she said it and Bella gaped at her younger sister. "Whoa, wait.. Embry kissed you.."

"Uh yeah? I just said that?"

"And now he's not talking or anything." Bella was digging for answers, but she had to. Sophie seemed upset, whether she wanted to admit it or not, and Bella was just wondering what was wrong. Frankly, given the strain between them lately, Bella was surprised Sophie was even saying this much about anything. And instantly, she wanted to find out Embry's number and find out why he'd do that because from the little she'd hung out with him around Jacob last year, he did not seem like that kind of guy.

… Jacob did say he was changing though, that he wasn't the same Embry as he was when we were kids… the thought came and Bella kept quiet, but she wondered if maybe Sam hadn't said something to Embry to discourage him from coming around her little sister and if so, that gave her more than one reason to be angry currently.

"Bella, don't. I know that tone and that look, do not make an issue of this. Maybe the guy is busy? Or maybe he decided that it was better if we just stayed friends. Either way, I'm not going to go getting all upset about it."

"Obviously, from the looks of that pint of ice cream and the fact that you're about to watch Pretty Woman for a fourth time this weekend, yeah.. You are, Sophie. And it's okay." Bella sat down. She'd really rather be doing any number of things right now than this because she'd just.. Never been good at consolation or anything similar, but it was her younger sister. And she was trying to 'rejoin the living', to quote their father.

And out of everyone, Sophie at least kept trying while she'd been wrapped up tight in the grips of her grief.

"This is what it is. I don't have plans and I'm too lazy to be bothered getting out and finding something to do. There is nothing more to that. Isn't Jacob supposed to come get you or you're going there?" Sophie dug her spoon into the pint of ice cream and gave her sister a pointed stare as she slid the spoon between her lips and Bella sat down. "It's okay to be hurt, I mean that was your first kiss."

Sophie stopped her. "That wasn't my first kiss. It was the first one that _meant anything to me_ , but my first kiss, Bella, was when I was twelve."

"You never told me that."

"Because it didn't matter. And the idiot did it on a dare anyway, so I really didn't feel like rehashing it. The point is, I'll survive. Just like you'll survive Eddo being gone. We're going to have to. I mean, Christ. It's not as if we were going to grow up and marry these guys. I know that.. You, though.. You're the one who went missing for a night because you were so shell shocked that Edward dumped you.."

"Hint taken." Bella grumbled and then she sighed. Obviously, Sophie wasn't going to admit to maybe being just a little upset by Embry not coming around or even talking to her after kissing her the last time she'd seen him. Bella eyed her little sister one last time as if to be totally sure Sophie was going to be fine. Under Sophie's nod, she grabbed her truck keys and pocketed them, leaving for Jacob's house.

Sophie hit play on the DVD and settled back into the couch, sighing and shaking her head. Every part of her wanted to be capable of pulling a Bella and throwing a fit or being hurt but she just couldn't.. It wasn't in her.

And if she had to force Embry to be around, why bother?

He'd be just like anyone else she'd tried to impose herself on. Sooner or later, he'd decide that he preferred to get away, usually winding up becoming best friends / dating her older sister and frankly, Sophie was sick of getting tossed to the side for Bella.

Her jealousy wasn't something she was proud of, but she wasn't perfect, either. And anyone else in her situation for so long would probably harness just a little jealousy towards their older sibling after a few people ditched them in favor of that sibling too, so she figured it was only logical to have it.

She heard a howl from the back of the house and she stood, putting down her pint of ice cream, making her way to the door leading out onto their deck. The wolf was there again and again, she felt the overwhelming urge to go out to be close to it. The problem with this was that a storm had just started and it was pouring down rain.

To her surprise, the wolf started to walk towards the door she stood on the other side of. She stood there, gaping, a little too stunned to move, her hand pressed against glass. When the wolf was standing in front of her on the other side of the door, she carefully slipped it open and sort of sat in the door facing, petting it, letting it nuzzle cold snout and coarse fur up against her cheeks and face.

Every part of this was strange and yet, somehow.. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to have happen?

Sophie couldn't explain it, but she felt a lot less alone when the large gray and black wolf made it's visits. She also felt one hell of a lot more safe.

–

"What do you mean it's a good thing he's not going around her anymore?" Bella asked Jacob the question tentatively because all day, he'd been moody. Like he was one tantrum away from exploding all over the place.

If Bella really stopped to think about it, he'd been that way towards her a lot lately.. Not enough for her to worry, of course, but enough for her to know that if she didn't stop her shit.. Jacob just might be gone too.

He didn't even seem like he wanted her there today, working on the motorcycles. He acted like there were a thousand other places he'd rather be.

"I mean what I said, Bella. I can't.. Talk about it. It's complicated, okay? But you saw Emily Uley's face earlier when Rachel sent us into the store for the stuff she needed to cook tonight. Sam did that. Do you really want Sophie dating someone who associates with someone who will do that to their fiance's face? Because I don't." Jacob stopped turning a wrench and looked up at Bella, waiting on his words to sink in.

Of course, he knew it was an accident when Sam did what he'd done to Emily's face. But he wasn't about to tell that. If it kept this new version of Embry away from Sophie and Sophie out of danger, Jacob was all for it.

Not only because of his little crush, but because of the fact that she'd been like a sister to him for the majority of their lives.

And he'd die before he let one of those fucking jerks near Rachel or Rebecca.

He wasn't about to let one of them near Bella or Sophie, either.

"You're jealous of him." she hadn't meant to blurt it out and she felt this sudden surge of.. Jealousy towards her younger sister.

Why was Jacob getting so worked up?

She could see his point about Emily's scar and the fact that Sam had done it, but Jacob's attitude clearly spelled out that it wasn't just the well being of a friend that had him wound up just now.

He _was_ jealous of Embry.

He might have always been.

"I'm _not_ jealous of Embry." Jacob tried to keep his patience, but the fact that he managed to rap the wrench in his hand against his knuckles had to be a dead give away. "I just don't think it's a good idea for Embry and Sophie to be a thing."

Quil spoke up from nearby, "In other words, Bella, he totally is."

"Shut your face, Quil."

Bella dropped the subject because honestly, she wasn't sure how she'd handle knowing that Jacob might just be hanging out with her because he had a crush on Sophie and he hoped that Sophie would cave in and come with her for a visit.

She shoved it all out of her head and the three teenagers got back to working on the motorcycles they were attempting to build.

* * *

" Like… It's pathetic, okay? It shouldn't.. hurt this way. Ya know?" Sophie sat in the door facing of the door that lead out onto the deck behind their house, sort of huddled against the wolf and stroking it's fur. She laughed, pausing the strokes of it's coarse fur to wipe at her eyes. "I'm dumb. This is dumb. He wasn't even my first kiss.. Just the first one that meant anything to me.. The first one that made me feel anything.."

The wolf nuzzled against her and she sighed into it's fur. "You smell like wet dog, Wolfie." she gave a soft laugh and stood, stretching. The wind was blowing cooler and driving rain drops inward and Sophie was a little damp as a result. The howls started and Sophie gave the wolf a glance.

He usually left when the other howls started to echo through the forest behind their house.

"A snack first, buddy?"

The wolf tilted it's head to one side and Sophie dug around, finding some oreos. "I know you probably won't eat 'em.. But there." she took one for herself after the wolf had taken the three she'd gotten out of the cookie jar on the kitchen counter to hand to him and after he'd gone, Sophie pulled the sliding door shut, locking it behind her.

She wandered back into the den, flopping down on the couch, turning back on the DVD she'd left paused to go and greet her 'protector' and talk to him for a bit. The silence in the house, coupled with flickering electricity because of the storm, it all had her hair standing on edge and she kept pausing the dvd to look around, thinking she heard this or that.

But things were calmer. She hadn't caught a glimpse of one of those weird red eyed men in almost two weeks.

Maybe things were going back to normal.

She had to hope so.

* * *

" It makes zero sense. Jacob pushed me into doing it. You saw him!" Embry was pacing the sand in front of a bonfire, ranting about the stupidity of Sam not allowing him to spend time with Sophie in human form again until he could better control his phasing and anger.

"Yeah, I did. But getting pissed right now, that's not gonna help." Jared said it calmly and Paul shook his head at Jared. "He shoulda just kicked the little shit's ass. that's what he should've done."

"And that wouldn't have helped either." Sam cut in as Embry flopped down onto the log near the bonfire, staring into it angrily. All he could sit there and think was that now, thanks to Jacob, being an actual walking bag of dicks, Sophie thought he didn't like her or that the whole kiss and what he said after didn't mean anything.

She cried.

It was hurting her.

He hated not being able to see her like he wanted, it wasn't fair.

And if he could take back getting angry when Jacob pushed just a little too hard about 'his new friends' and everything. And he kept pushing and before Embry knew it, he was exploding, which wasn't like him.

Between Jacob's pushing and maybe rubbing it in just a little bit about him seeing Sophie a lot, Embry had pretty much had it.

Now, here he was.

"Calm down, Call."

"Easy for you to say, Cameron." Embry glared at their new pack member and then dropped his head, groaning, dragging fingers through his hair as he swore out loud. "Ugh. Honestly, I wanna kick Jacob's ass."

"Call her. Try to talk to her."

"And say what?"

"Good point."

"Just tell her you haven't felt well, man."

Just the idea of it, hearing her voice again, getting some kind of a chance to explain things.. Embry didn't mean to, but the idea took hold.

He tried a time or two and the call went straight to voicemail and his stomach churned bitterly.

"I swear to God, this better be fixable or I'm going to kick Black's ass."

"It will be."

"Doesn't feel like it right now, Sam." Embry glared as he put away his cell phone just so he wouldn't keep flooding her with calls or texts.


End file.
